A pointy decline in total gross sales in main markets together with Germany and Italy dragged down the numbers of newly registered vehicles within the EU. Nevertheless, EVs are distinctly rising their market share within the bloc, with Chinese language-made vehicles on the rise.
German, Italian and French demand for brand spanking new vehicles has been lagging within the first two months of the yr, hammering gross sales within the continent.
New automobile registrations fell by 3.4% in February and three% within the first two months of the yr in comparison with the identical interval final yr, in response to the European Car Producers’ Affiliation (ACEA).
In February, year-to-date gross sales fell in Italy by 6%, in Germany by 4.6% and in France by 3.3%. Nevertheless, Spain noticed an 8.4% improve.
In February, 15.4% of the brand new vehicles offered have been battery-electric automobiles (BEVs), whereas for the primary two months of the yr, the entire reached 15.2%. That indicators a leap from final yr’s 11.5% in the identical interval.
EVs are claiming a much bigger slice of the cake
Electrical vehicles noticed sturdy positive factors in comparison with final yr. Throughout the primary two months of 2025, new battery-electric automobile gross sales grew by 28.4%, capturing greater than 1/seventh of the entire EU market.
Three of the 4 largest EV markets within the EU, accounting for 64% of all battery-electric automobile registrations, recorded double-digit positive factors: Germany noticed a whopping 41% improve, gross sales in Belgium have been up by 38%, and within the Netherlands by 25%. However in France, a slight decline of 1.3% gave distinction.
In the meantime, hybrid-electric automobiles claimed 35.6% of the EU market in February, remaining the favorite among the many bloc’s clients. This class offered 18.7% extra vehicles within the first two months of 2025 than within the earlier yr. France, Spain, Italy and Germany all noticed a major leap in gross sales.
On the similar time, the mixed market share of petrol and diesel vehicles has shrunk to 38% in February, down from 48.4% over the identical interval in 2024.
Within the first two months of the yr, petrol automobile registrations collapsed by 20.5%, with all main markets exhibiting decreases. France skilled the steepest drop, with registrations plummeting by 27.5%, adopted by Germany (-24.9%), Italy (-19%), and Spain (-13%), in response to ACEA.
Tesla gross sales crumpling in Europe, Chinese language automakers cashing in
Volkswagen, Renault and BMW might barely enhance their European gross sales within the first two months, however Stellantis and Volvo each noticed a double-digit decline.
In the meantime, as soon as the world’s greatest identify in electrical automobiles, Tesla noticed its gross sales drop considerably by 49% within the EU. In comparison with the identical interval in 2024, Tesla offered 19,046 new vehicles within the first two months of the yr.
The model’s shareholders are more and more involved that the enterprise fell sufferer to the CEO’s political aspirations, because the South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk took up a senior function in US President Donald Trump’s administration.
In Europe, Tesla’s gross sales are definitely freefalling and have been overwhelmed by Chinese language auto big SAIC Motor, which elevated its gross sales considerably by 39.2% within the EU in the identical interval, promoting 30,176 vehicles.
In the meantime, each firms have a shortly rising rival: Chinese language electrical automobile maker BYD. The corporate reported its 2024 income at over $107bn (€99bn), topping Tesla’s practically $97.7bn (€90.4) for a similar interval.
BYD stated its battery electrical and hybrid automobile gross sales jumped 40% worldwide. The corporate has simply launched its Qin L EV sedan, a mid-sized mannequin much like Tesla’s Mannequin 3 however at simply over half the value.
BYD can be rolling out a super-fast EV charging system that’s practically as fast as a fill-up on the pumps.
The carmaker is but to scoop a good share of European automobile gross sales, because it faces an extra 17% on prime of the prevailing 10% flat price the EU imposed on Chinese language carmakers. However BYD has sturdy ambitions in Europe: the carmaker has two vegetation underway, one in Hungary and one other in Turkey, whereas reportedly eyeing a 3rd location on the continent.
In the meantime, Chinese language carmakers are going through uncertainty over worldwide commerce, stemming from the US administration’s bulletins about new tariffs, together with these on automobile imports.
